Characterization of Site-Specific Mutations in a Short-Chain-Length/Medium-Chain-Length Polyhydroxyalkanoate Synthase:In VivoandIn VitroStudies of Enzymatic Activity and Substrate Specificity

Abstract

ABSTRACTSaturation point mutagenesis was carried out at position 479 in the polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthase fromChromobacteriumsp. strain USM2 (PhaCCs) with specificities for short-chain-length (SCL) [(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) and (R)-3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV)] and medium-chain-length (MCL) [(R)-3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx)] monomers in an effort to enhance the specificity of the enzyme for 3HHx. A maximum 4-fold increase in 3HHx incorporation and a 1.6-fold increase in PHA biosynthesis, more than the wild-type synthase, was achieved using selected mutant synthases. These increases were subsequently correlated with improved synthase activity and increased preference of PhaCCsfor 3HHx monomers. We found that substitutions with uncharged residues were beneficial, as they resulted in enhanced PHA production and/or 3HHx incorporation. Further analysis led to postulations that the size and geometry of the substrate-binding pocket are determinants of PHA accumulation, 3HHx fraction, and chain length specificity.In vitroactivities for polymerization of 3HV and 3HHx monomers were consistent within vivosubstrate specificities. Ultimately, the preference shown by wild-type and mutant synthases for either SCL (C4and C5) or MCL (C6) substrates substantiates the fundamental classification of PHA synthases.